Recently I was traveling along the A303 which runs between Basingstoke and and somewhere in Devon in the UK; stopped off at the Holiday Inn Wiltshire near Stonehenge for the night and spotted this huge metal sculpture welcoming visitors to the Solstice Business Park.
"Portrait photo of The Ancestor outside the Holiday Inn near Amesbury, Wiltshire": Photographer: @richardslater, F-Stop: f/11, Focal Length: 50mm, Exposure: 1/800 sec, ISO: 2000, Camera: Sony α7R V, Lens: Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art DG HSM, Taken: Friday, 12 April 2024 17:28
The sculpture is about 6.7m / 22ft tall and is made of steel which has corroded over time giving a beautiful patina. It sits basically outside the hotel, which you can see in the background:
"Landscape photo of The Ancestor with the Holiday Inn in the background": Photographer: @richardslater, F-Stop: f/2.8, Focal Length: 50mm, Exposure: 1/1000 sec, ISO: 100, Camera: Sony α7R V, Lens: Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art DG HSM, Taken: Friday, 12 April 2024 17:29
As it turns out it was created over a decade ago by local artists as an instillation at Stonehenge during the solstace celebrations, it's moved about a bit since then although seems to have been in place on the Business Park.
"Portrait photo of The Ancestor with the Holiday Inn sign in the background": Photographer: @richardslater, F-Stop: f/2.8, Focal Length: 50mm, Exposure: 1/1250 sec, ISO: 100, Camera: Sony α7R V, Lens: Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art DG HSM, Taken: Friday, 12 April 2024 17:30
Named "The Ancient" it certainly shows features of being "ancient" with it's weatherd look, and paleolithic facial features. It's a facinating art installaton and hopefully one that will surivive for many years to come.
"Close up photo of rusted steel work that makes up The Ancestor": Photographer: @richardslater, F-Stop: f/2.8, Focal Length: 50mm, Exposure: 1/80 sec, ISO: 100, Camera: Sony α7R V, Lens: Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art DG HSM, Taken: Friday, 12 April 2024 17:31
The sculpture was created by welding many thousands of individual bits of steel together onto what looks like a frame inside.
"Close up photo of rusted steel work that makes up The Ancestor": Photographer: @richardslater, F-Stop: f/2.8, Focal Length: 50mm, Exposure: 1/100 sec, ISO: 100, Camera: Sony α7R V, Lens: Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art DG HSM, Taken: Friday, 12 April 2024 17:31
I don't know if the rust was there when it was first created, but it gives it a huge amount of character